Bombay Sapphire Gin Taps Hebru Brantley For First Artist-Designed Bottle

Contemporary Chicago-based artist, Hebru Brantley was tapped by Bombay Sapphire to create the brand’s first-ever artist-designed bottle for North America. And while fans of the artist might guess that the iconic, cerulean vessel would sport his signature character, FlyBoy, Brantley reimagined the bottle with a more meaningful extension of his narrative work, and for a good cause.

Drawing inspiration from his early passion for street art, Brantley’s bottle design features distinct “Afro-Futuristic” motifs: tonal, comic book-like sketches from the neck which trail into a striking mirrored portrait, illustrated in contrasting pastels and dark hues. Within the art you’ll find Brantley’s recognizable superhero caricatures and symbols of royalty — a nod to his earlier work for Bombay Sapphire circa 2011 — and the co-branded logos along with “London Dry Gin” have been transformed with Hebru Brantley’s signature font. “I wanted the design to inspire hope for a better future and shine light on the courage and resilience of Black people in America,” the artist explained. “There are very few examples of Black prominence in fantasy, science fiction, adventure, and hero-type stories. That’s one of the reasons I created and continue to highlight strong heroic characters in my work, including on this bottle. We hardly ever see ourselves as protagonists and I want to continue putting work into the world that resembles our community.”

This limited-edition bottle with Hebru Brantley not only continues the brands’ long-term collaborative work in terms of inspiring their consumers through art, this bottle signifies a bigger step in Bombay Sapphire’s commitment to equal representation in the arts as a whole. The gin company noted that it was absolutely essential to ensure this product supported the Black community, and to pay homage to Brantley’s hometown, the bottle supports the Chicago chapter of Black Lives Matter. “Art has the power to create change, but this is just a small step. We recognize that we can and will implement more long-term initiatives to champion marginalized voices in the creative arts — a mission that has never been more critical than it is now,” Tom Spaven, Bombay Sapphire’s Brand Director of North America shared with Forbes.

While Hebru Brantley works across various mediums and scales from painting, screen prints, to vinyl figurines, he was excited to experiment with the unconventional canvas of Bombay Sapphire’s multi-faceted bottle. The artist explained that the challenge wasn’t so much the size, it was determining which pieces of the artwork would be visible at each angle. “I wanted to make sure that no matter how people are holding it they are looking at something really cool,” he shared. The 750ML bottle is truly a work of art, and if you ever dreamed of owning a piece by Hebru Brantley (just like Jay-Z, LeBron James, and Lenny Kravitz to name a few), you could start with an addition to your bar cart for only $32.

A premium gin and the arts might sound like an unusual pairing, but Bombay Sapphire has been an avid supporter of the creative community since its inception, and their efforts remain a key pillar of their business strategy today; championing art and self-expression through unique programs like Stir Creativity, their Artisan Series (where the brand first discovered Brantley) and most recently, the Soho House Art Prize designed to support emerging talent. “Creativity matters more today than ever before,” said Spaven. “It is not just confined within the walls of a gallery, and we strive to celebrate and honor visual culture in all forms and through our partnerships.”